Old Pains
by ObiWanGirl
Summary: Basically Seto's and Joey's stories of abuse (rating just in case) No shounen-ai unless you want it to seem to be.


Seto cried out involuntary as the belt struck him again. He immediately regretted it, as the beating got even worse. 

"Never cry out you little...!" The belt struck him, and the blood flowed...

~~

Seto awoke quickly, his heart racing, his breath jagged. He impulsively put a hand to his arm, feeling the scars that ran up it. 

"Nii-sama?" Seto looked to the side of his bed, where his little brother stood, wide eyed and worried. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah 'Kuba." Seto replied, shaking himself mentally. 

"You're sure? You were screaming and tossing and turning and..."

"I said I'm fine Mokuba!" Seto snapped, and Mokuba stepped back. His features softened, and apologized. Running a hand through his brunette hair, he sighed. "I just need some time to get my head together kid..." Mokuba took this as a message to leave, and said he'd go get Seto some water. 

After Mokuba had left, Seto got up and locked his door, then walked into his bathroom. He took off his long sleeved shirt, which revealed many scars. Scars that no one knew about. Not even Mokuba. He backed against the wall, and sank to the floor slowly. He vaguely heard Mokuba pounding on his door, but ignored him. His dream was still fresh on his mind, and he couldn't be around anyone, or face an emotional breakdown. His once cold, yet still living cerulean eyes looked dead as the memories of his past came back to haunt him.

~~ 

Joey bit his tongue as another blow came, knowing that if he cried out, he would just be beaten harder. His father was drunk, (as usual), and angry for something that had happened at the bar. So, (as usual), he took his rage out on Joey, who had been sleeping at the time. Before long, his father had grown tired of hitting the blonde, and went back out to drink. Jou, deciding he didn't want to be here when he got back, quickly ran into the bathroom, and cleaned his cuts to the best of his ability, then grabbed his uniform and ran out the door.

Tristan, (as usual), opened the door when Joey had rang the bell. It was a wordless tradition between them. Joey never said anything, and Tristan, though he knew what was going on, never asked questions. Luckily for them, Tristan had moved out of his parents house recently, and they didn't have to come up with any lie. Joey wordlessly took his spot on the couch, and Tristan went back into his bedroom.

~~

"Okay class!" The overly cheerful athletics instructor said. "Today's the beginning of the swim unit, as I informed you all last week. Go and change into your suits! And if you forgot you suit, sit on the bleachers, and your grade will go down a grade each day until you bring them!" She clapped her hands, and everyone went to the locker rooms. Except Seto Kaiba and Joey Wheeler. Joey sat down on top bench of the bleachers, whilst Seto sat on the bottom ones. 

~~

The next few days went the same. Everyone swam while Seto and Joey sat out. Seto was getting suspicious of Joey, and vice versa. Each day, the two rivals sat closer and closer together, until they were a foot apart. 

"Hey Kaiba." Joey began, wondering how the conversation would turn out.

"Wheeler." Seto wouldn't look Joey in the eyes, or even in this direction. Joey just took this as a normal attitude.

"Why aren't you swimming Kaiba?"

"Why aren't you?" Seto retorted quickly. Joey rolled his eyes. What was he expecting, Kaiba to turn to him and show some niceness. Hah, fat chance.

"I don't swim." Joey replied.

"Why? Even dogs can swim."

"Hey, will you stop the dog cracks?" Joey said, stretching. Seto glanced at Joey, and his eyes fell on the revealed stomach of the blonde. His eyes widened slightly. There were scars. 

Joey looked at Seto, and quickly regretted this action. He pulled down his shirt, and glared at the CEO.

"Are those..."

"Shut up Kaiba." Joey interrupted, making it perfectly clear that was ground better left untread. Seto, for once, turned to Joey, letting down a microscopic part of his barrier, against his better judgement. 

"Joey." He said, grabbing the boys wrist. Joey looked at him, his eyes widening.

"What Kaiba?! Let go of me!" Joey tried to get Seto to release his grip, but Seto didn't budge. 

"Are you being..."

"SHUT UP KAIBA!!" Joey yelled, using his free arm to punch the brunette. Seto grabbed the other wrist before it made contact with his face. He twisted Joey's arm, and rolled the sleeve up. As he had expected, there were scars there. He looked up at Joey, who's eyes were taking on that dead look Seto's had taken on last night.

"Joey..."

"There." Joey whispered, almost so low that Seto couldn't even hear him. "Are you happy? You can go around telling everyone that the poor puppy Joey Wheeler gets beaten..."

"Joey." Seto whispered in return, lightly grabbing the blonde's chin, forcing Joey's gaze to meet his own. "I won't tell anyone..."

"Why? Don't you..."

"I won't tell because I've been there." Seto told Joey, who's eye's widened. Seto closed his eyes, fighting back tears. He vowed to get revenge for Joey, because he knew how hard it was to do it yourself. He knew that many didn't want people to know. He was one of them.

"Seto..." Joey trailed off, forgetting the barrier between them at the revelation of this fact. "I never knew..."He remembered all the times he had jumped the brunette, punching him, etc... Joey knew how much it hurt for scars to be hit, no matter how old. It wasn't the pain that hurt. It was the memories. 

"You won't tell anyone." Seto said.

"I won't if you wont." Joey replied, as the teacher blew her whistle, telling everyone to go in. It was a promise between rivals, who, starting that day, would view each other in a different light. Possibly not as adversaries, but as two people against the world. Or at least their fathers.

~~

ObiWanGirl: Mua ha ha ha! And it MAY not be yaoi...o course I COULD do another chapter or possibly a sequel. 

Seto: V_V

Joey: Will it be yaoi? *ish hoping*

ObiWanGirl: *nods happily*

Joey: *cheers*

Seto: Let me guess the pairings...Me/Joey Yugi/Yami Ryou/Bakura.

ObiWanGirl: How'd you know?!??!

Joey: Same parings every time girl.

Seto: *nods*

ObiWanGirl: Hey...I could always make it Yugi/Mokuba...*huge grin*

Seto: 0-0

Joey: Hey...that'd work, they're both short...

Mokuba: *smiling slightly and scared after the last comment of the authoress.* Review please! Ja na!

Everyone: *waves goodbye*


End file.
